SPG-9

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SPG-9

A Polish SPG-9M is loaded.
Polish Ministry of Defence photo.
Type Recoilless rifle
Place of origin Soviet Union
Service history
In service 1962-
Specifications
Weight 47.5 kg (59.5 kg with the tripod)[1]
Length 2110 mm[1]
Width 990 mm (allowing for full weapon traverse)[1]
Height 800 mm[1]
Crew 2

Caliber 73 mm smoothbore [1]
Breech Interrupted screw[1]
Carriage Tripod
Elevation + 7°/-3°
Traverse: 30° total
Rate of fire 6 rounds per minute [1]
Muzzle velocity 250 to 400 m/s
Effective range 800 m
Maximum range 1,200 m to 6,500 m
Feed system Manually breech loaded
Sights PGO-9 optical 4x sight or
PGN-9 IR and passive night sight

The SPG-9 Kopye (Spear) is a Russian tripod-mounted man-portable, 73 mm recoilless gun developed by the Soviet Union. It fires fin-stabilised, rocket-assisted HE and HEAT projectiles similar to those fired by the 73 mm 2A28 Grom low pressure gun of the BMP-1 vehicle. It was accepted into service in 1962, replacing the B-10 recoilless rifle.

The projectile is launched from the gun by a small charge, which gives it an initial muzzle velocity of around 250 m/s to 400 m/s. The charge also imparts spin to the projectile by a series of offset holes in the launch charge. Once the projectile has travelled approximately 20 meters from the launcher a rocket motor in the projectile ignites. For the PG-9 projectile, this takes it to a velocity of 700 m/s before the motor burns out.

The weapon is light, and is normally transported by vehicle, and carried into position by its two crew. It can be deployed in around a minute. The weapon is in service with a large number of armed forces, and a variety of ammunition is produced, however mostly they are copies of the original soviet PG-9 HEAT and OG-9 FRAG-HE rounds.

A variant for use with airborne troops including detachable wheels was built as the SPG-9D.


[edit] Projectiles

Round (projectile) Type Weight Fuze Length Explosive
content
Muzzle
velocity
Effective
range
Maximum
range
Armour
penetration
Notes
PG-9 (PG-9V) HEAT-FS 4.39 kg VP-9 920 mm 0.322 kg of Hexogen 435 m/s 800 m 1,300 m 300 mm -
PG-9N HEAT-FS VP-9 920 mm 0.340 kg of OKFOL-3.5 [2] 435 m/s 800 m 1,300 m 400 mm -
PG-9VS HEAT-FS 4.4 kg  ? 920 mm  ? 1,300 m  ? 400 mm -
PG-9VNT (PG-9NT) HEAT-FS 3.2 kg  ? 920 mm  ? 400 m/s 700 m 1,200 m 550 mm or
400 mm behind by ERA
Tandem warhead
OG-9V (OG-9) FRAG-HE 5.35 kg GO-2 or O-4M 1062 mm 0.735 kg of TNT 316 m/s - - n/a Cast iron casing
OG-9VM (OG-9M) FRAG-HE 5.35 kg GO-2 or O-4M 1062 mm 0.655 kg of TD-50 [3] 316 m/s - - n/a -
OG-9VM1 (OG-9V) FRAG-HE 5.35 kg GO-2 or O-4M 1062 mm  ? 316 m/s - 4,500 m n/a -
OG-9BG (OG-9G) FRAG-HE 6.9 kg O-4M  ?  ? 250 m/s - 4,000 m n/a Bulgarian made
OG-9BG1 (OG-9G1) FRAG-HE  ? O-4M  ?  ?  ? - 6,500 m n/a Bulgarian made

[edit] Variants

[edit] References and notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g OPFOR Worldwide Equipment Guide, TRADOC DCSINT Threat Support Directorate, January 21, 1999
  2. ^ 95% HME 5% Wax
  3. ^ TNT/dinitronaphthalene
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